This invention relates to natural gas fireplaces and more particularly, relates to a compact gas burner for use in gas fireplaces to simulate a real wood fire flame.
Natural gas and liquid propane have traditionally been burnt in closed furnaces to efficiently produce heat in residential and commercial buildings. Gas has also been used in open fireplaces to provide the aesthetically pleasing appearance of an open flame without the mess and labour associated with a real wood fire.
In recent years gas stoves have been developed to provide improved efficiency and a more realistic wood-like fire, including a yellow flickering flame. A yellow flame is usually associated with incomplete combustion and unacceptably high levels of carbon monoxide. The Canadian Gas Association standard requires a maximum of 200 ppm carbon monoxide production after an initial start up time of 3 minutes.
Canadian Pat. No. 1,284,767 discloses a gas burner assembly provided to produce a close simulation of a real wood log fire. A gas pipe with downwardly facing orifices discharges gas into a casing filled with granular particles for disseminating the gas flow prior to combustion. In another embodiment the gas discharged from the downwardly facing orifices passes through a gas distribution tile at the top portion of the casing beneath a first and second log member.
In Canadian Pat. No. 1,301,627 a fireplace burner assembly employs inverted U-shaped channels covering an elongated rectangular casing, the central channel or transfer cap being open at one end and partially opened at the opposite end beneath a distribution tile. Uniform distribution of gas along the length of the burner with a real wood fire like flame is achieved.
These and other burner designs shown in the prior art are all rather complicated in design and are comprised of an undue multiplicity of parts.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a gas burner assembly for use in gas fireplaces which will simulate the flame pattern of a real wood fire.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a high efficiency gas burner assembly which produces low emissions of carbon monoxide while burning natural gas or liquid propane.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a compact gas burner assembly for use in smaller fireplaces while maintaining the appearance of multiple flame sources.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a gas burner assembly operative in either a direct vent or gravity vent fireplace.